Electric switch.



B. L. BRONSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1913 Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

lvwemtoz B, L 530 N 50 N fivummo I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERT L. BRONSON, OF BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN S. BAUGHMAN OF BLAIRSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914.

Application filed July 30, 1913. Serial No. 782,107.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BERT L. Bronson, citizen of the United States, residing at Blairsville, in the county of Indiana and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in electric switches and has for its primary object to provide a push button electric switch of compact form which may be used as a flush switch or a counter-sunk switch, as desired.

Another object is to provide a switch of this character employing a single push button for both opening and closing the switch,

A further object is to provide a switch of this character composed of the minimum number of parts of simple construction and operation and which will be highly eificient and efle'ctive in use.

A further object is to provide a switch of this character constructed in such manner that the movable contact will be given only part of a revolution upon each operation of the push button to either close or open the switch by engaging the movable contact with the stationary contacts or disengaging said movable contact from said stationary contacts.

A further object is to provide a switch of this character including improved and novel mechanism for operating the movable contact upon inward movement of the push 1 button and improved and novel means for returning the push button to normal position after each operation of the same.

Another object is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of a device of this character and increase the efiiciency of the same and to form the parts in such mannerv that should any of said parts become worn or broken, they may be readily replaced at small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal section through the complete device with the switch open; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the push button being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a frag- 'mentary sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view of the supporting plates with the movable contact removed, the ratchet being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the reverse side of the supporting plates and the parts carried thereby; Fig. 6 is a detail elevational view of the rotary members, showing the inner face thereof; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the opposite Referring more specifically to the draw-' ing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 designates the casing which is preferably composed of porcelain or the like and which has its outer end open while its inner end or bottom is provided with a recess 2 in its inner face, the purpose of which will presently appear.

Secured across the outer end of the casing 1 is a plate 3 which has its opposite ends resting in suitable recesses formed at diametrically opposite points in the outer edge of the casing by means of the screws 4, the threaded ends 4 of which are adapted for engagement in a wall or other surface, said screws 5 also passing through the elongated slots 6 in the extension plates 7 positioned between the ends of the plate 3 and the outer edge of the casing l, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The plate 3 has a central opening 8 to accommodate the push button 9 positioned therethrough and having the movable plate 10 projecting inwardly from the inner end of said push button and held against one face of the inwardly extending stationary plate 11 by means of the finger 12 secured by one end to said plate 11 having its opposite end reduced in thickness and engaged over one longitudinal edge of the plate 10. vented from rotating in a reverse direction, The inwardly extending stationary plate 11 I by means of the leaf spring 30 which has has its upper end bifurcated and secured to the plate 3 upon opposite sides of the opening 8 said plate 11 straddling the opening.

as will be readily understood by referring to the drawing.

The inner end of the plate 11 is secured in a suitable recess 12 in the inner end or bottom of the casing 1, said recess 12' extending substantially parallel with the recess 2, thereby preventing lateral movement of the plate 11. The shaft 13 projects laterall from the plate 11 near one inner corn'er t ereof and a ratchet wheel 14 is mounted thereon, against which ratchet wheel is positioned an insulating disk 15, next to which is placed the movable contact member 1'6 which has four contact points 17 projecting radially therefrom and which has a substantially oval-shaped central opening 18 within which is positioned a correspondingly shaped insulating member 19. Upon the opposite face of the movable con tact member 16 is engaged a second insulati'ng disk 20. upon the outer face of which is placed the metallic disk 21. The-ratchet wheel 14, insulating disks 15 and 20, insulating member 19, and metallic disk 21, are connected by rivets 22 or other suitable; means secured therethrough, thereby looking these parts together and compelling the insulated movable member 16 to rotate with the ratchet wheel 14. The parts 14, 15, 16,5

19, 20 and 21, are retained in position upon the shaft 13 by the split washer 23 secured in the annular groove 24 formed in the outer end of said shaft. It will be understood 5 that an insulating sleeve 25 is engaged around the shaft 13 and centrally through the ratchet wheel 14, insulating disks 15 and 20', and insulating member 19. It will j also he understood that upon rotation of the 1 rotary members, the lowermost contactpoints 17 will travel in the recess 2.

Upon each inward movement of the push butto'n 9, the laterally directed pin 26 carii'ed by the movable plate 10 and engaged through the a-rcuate slot 27 in the stationary inwardly extending plate 11, will engage one tooth of the ratchet wheel 14 and force the wheel to rotate one-eighth of a revolution as said pin moves downwardly in the slot. As soon as the push button is released, the same is again forced outwardly by means of the helical spring 26 which has one end secured to the opposite end of the pin 26 while the other end of the spring is secured to the book 29 on the inner face of the plate 3. Owing to the shape of the slot 27, the pin 26 is allowed to move away from the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the re" tum movement of said pin to the upper end of the slot. The ratchet wheel 14 is preone end secured to the stationary inwardly extending plate 11 while the opposite end is engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, whereby said spring serves the purpose of a pawl.

The contact points 17 of the movable contact members 16 are arranged in pairs and upon each quarter revolution of the ratchet wheel 14 or every second inward movement of the push button 19, two of the contact points 17 are forced between the bifurcated stationary contacts 31. One of the stationary contacts 31 extends horizontally and has its central portion secured to the U- shaped member 32 which has its inner end secured to the bottom of the casing 1, as shown at 33, while its outer end carries the screw 34 with which is engaged an electric wire 35, which wire is prevented from disengaging from the screw 34 by means of the lug 36 formed upon the outer end ofthe member 32, adjacent the head of the screw 34 and serving to hold the wire in engagement with the screw, it being understood that the wire is positioned between the screw 34 and the lug 36. The other stationary contact 31 extends vertically and has its central portion resting in one end of the recess 2 said contact being secured in 'position against the central portion of the U-shaped member 37 by means of a screw or other suitable means 38 engaged throu h the ear 39 extended at right angles to te central portion of the contact 31 and against the face of the U-shaped member 37. The inner end of the ll-sha'ped member 37 is secured to the bottom of the casing 1', as shown at 40, while the outer end carries the screw 41 with which one end of the electric wire 42 is engaged and held in position by the lug 43 similar to the lug 36 and formed on the outer end of the U-shaped member 37. It will be understood that the stationary contacts 31 are wider at their central portions than at their outer portions, thereby making it possible for the contact points 17 of the movable contact 16 to be readily engaged in the outer portions of the stationary contacts 31, as will be readily understood.

It will be seen that in Fig. 1 the switch is shown open and that an inward movement of the push button 9 will cause a one-eighth revolution of the ratchet wheel 14, and parts mounted for rotation with said wheel, thereby forcing two of the contact points 17 into engagement with the stationary contacts 31 and closing the switch. A second inward movement of the push button 19, however, will disengage these contact points 17 from the stationary contacts 31 and thereby open the switch.

When the device is used as a surface switch (secured against the wall or other? surface), the outer end of the casing 1 is l closed by a cap 44, the flange 45 of which i serves to cover the recesses formed in the outer edge of the casing to receive the ends of the plate 3 and the outer ends of the U- shaped members 32, said cap 44 being provided with a central opening 46 to accommodate the push button 9 and being secured in position by a screw 47 or other suitable means engaged therethrough and threaded in the plate 3, the end of said screw also extending in the slot 6 of one of the extension plates 7.

When the device is used as a counter-sunk or flush switch, (countersunk or embedded so that it is flush with the surface,) however, the screws 4: are secured in osition from the bottom of the casing and t readed into the plate 3. In this instance, the casing 1 is held in position by the screws 48 secured through the slots 6 in the extension plates 7', after said extension plates have been moved outwardly beyond the ends of the plate 3 and the outer end of the casin is closed by a plate 49 of greater diameter t an the casing 1 and completely covering the extended extension plates 7 and protecting the same by means of the outwardl directed annular flange 50 engaged with tie wall or other surface within which the casing is countersunk. The plate 49 has a central opening 51 to accommodate the push button 9' and secured in position by the screw 47 extended therethrough and threaded into the )late 3. 1 It will be understood that the conducting wires 35 and 42 may be extended through the openings 52 provided in the base or inner end of the casing 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or in any other portion of the casing or cover, as desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided an improved electrical switch of the push button type which will be of extremely simple construction and operation as well as highly etficient and effective in use and which may be employed either as a surface switch or as a counter-sunk switch the parts being constructed and arranged in such manner that a single push button is employed for both closing and opening the switch.

It will also be understood that should any of the parts become worn or broken, they may be readily replaced at a small cost.

\Vhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention it will be understood that minor changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of the advantages of the same.

'ried by said cover, a stationary shaft What I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a casing a stationary plate in said casing, a cover tor the casing, said stationary plate being carried by the cover, a shaft 5 projecting transversely from one face of the plate. a sleeve mounted on said shaft, disks at the opposite ends of said sleeve, a rotary contact member positioned around said sleeve, insulating disks between said rotary contact member and the first. mentioned disks, means for connecting the first men-. tioned disks and insulating disks, an insulating member positioned in the center of said rotary contact member, the last mentioned insulating member being also connected with the insulating disks and first mentioned disks and adapted for rotation therewith, one of the first mentioned disks having ratchet teeth formed upon its periphery, stationary contact members within said casing, said rotary contact members having radial contact arms, means slidably engaged upon the opposite side of the stationary plate and projecting from the same Ior engagement with said ratchet teeth to operate the radial contact member and bring the contact arms thereof into engagement with the stationary contact members, and means for actuating the slidable means.

2. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a cover for said casing, a stationary plate within said casing and carrojecting laterally from one face of said p ate, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft, a plurality of insulating members mounted on said sleeve, a rotary contact member carried by said insulating members and adapted to rotate with the same, a pair of disks outwardly of the outermost insulating members. connecting members extending through the insulating members to connect the same, the disk adjacent the stationary plate being provided with ratchet teeth upon its periphery, said stationary plate being provided with a central opening, a slidable member positioned upon the opposite side of the plate, a pawl carried by said slidable member and extended throughfthe opening in the stationary plate for engagement with the ratchet teeth of said disk to rotate the same a predetermined distance upon each inward movement of the slidable member and means engaged throu h the cover for actuating the slidable mem er.

A device of the class described com prising a casing, a cover for said casing, a stationary plate carried by the cover and engaged in the casing, a shaft projecting from one side of the stationary plate, a rotary contact member mounted on said shaft and insulated from the same, stationary contact members in said casing, said stationary plate being provided with an arcuate slot, a slidable member positioned upon the opposite side of the plate, means carried by the i plate and engaged through said slot to 0 crate the rotary contact member to bring t e same into engagement with the stationary contact members, means for guiding the slidablewinember, means for resiliently retain- BERT L. BRONSON. \Vitnesses M. C. LYDDANE, CHAS. M. BIRCKHEAI). 

